Samsung demos two-way folder phone for games

Digital TV too

Samsung yesterday showed off what it calls a "free folder" phone - a handset that can not only open up vertically, clamshell-fashion but can fold out horizontally the way devices like Nokia's Communicator do.

The SGH-B450 is being pitched at phone owners keen to put some multimedia glitz into their mobile lives. The handset not only incorporates a DMB (Digital Multimedia Broadcasting) satellite TV receiver but also features a set of 3D games - gaming and viewing are the two features for which the landscape orientation was designed.

The phone also features VibeTonz - customised vibration patterns for in-game effects and for identifying callers and incoming messages. Samaung has offered VibeTonz before, on its SGH-G1000, SGH-E770, SCH-N330 and Vi-A820 handsets.

Samsung said the SGH-B450 will cost around KRW600,000 ($631/£341/€499). ®